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Hi from Va.

Hi all...I've been in the Navy for most of a career now, and I am planning on starting up with the girls after I retire next year...I don't have the consistent time to mess with them, so in all fairness i'll wait...I have been interested since I was a kid though.

I am an organic gardener/farmer..(I think my squash this year puts me into the realm of farm..) and of course the bees will help pollinate my veggies...I am into sustainable agriculture, etc..etc..and will attempt a minimalist approach..probably using Kenyan TBH's and not alot of ancillary stuff..of course, I am a packrat with a gift for acquiring stuff...we'll see how that works out..

The TBH is attractive to me for it's simplicity of construction...still studying on that though...one bonus is that I have a sawmill..15" and wider boards are not a problem to get...pick your species...southern yellow pine with cedar shake tops or somesuch...

I don't hold much hope that the wife will play though..i'm sure she will be glad of the honey though...

Re: Hi from Va.

Zopi,
Welcome to the forum. I know you are looking forward to retirement and keeping bees. I’m retired Navy as well. I have three KTBHs running right now with a cutout waiting on a forth. You should build that first KTBH as a pattern for the rest because there will be more. WRT the Queen bee…. Get her a veil and maybe some gloves and set them aside. On your install or first inspection ask her to suit up to take pictures as your hands will be full. Maybe she will be scared. Maybe she will be curious. But one thing for sure, she will be fascinated. My uninterested queen has now written a kids book about bees. Perhaps this approach will create a little extra interest at your hive as well. Lastly and most important, thank you for your service.

Re: Hi from Va.

Originally Posted by DavesBees

Zopi,
Welcome to the forum. I know you are looking forward to retirement and keeping bees. I’m retired Navy as well. I have three KTBHs running right now with a cutout waiting on a forth. You should build that first KTBH as a pattern for the rest because there will be more. WRT the Queen bee…. Get her a veil and maybe some gloves and set them aside. On your install or first inspection ask her to suit up to take pictures as your hands will be full. Maybe she will be scared. Maybe she will be curious. But one thing for sure, she will be fascinated. My uninterested queen has now written a kids book about bees. Perhaps this approach will create a little extra interest at your hive as well. Lastly and most important, thank you for your service.

Thanks! I'll try that...I was planning on cutting out four sets of parts for the KTBH..the third as a set of full sized patterns...I beelieve (sorry) I'll start with three hives as a hedge against losses, and with an eye towards fissioning one hive the second year...mostly as an experiment, and because I have room for that many colonies without even straining...or dropping one in the neighbors garden...I don't think I want to try to mess with remote bee yards until i have a bit of experience....it doesn't really matter how much honey I make, as any more than a gallon or two is overkill for my little family...I do however have a local market...a friend who bakes commercially and sells at our farmers market, and the farmers market itself..it's already a good place to offload extra squash...beats dropping it on the neighbors porch and running away...